Apparatus for geological surveying



Oct. l5, 1935. T. L. BAILEY E-r AL 2,017,522

APPARATUS `FOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEYING Filed oct. 3o. 1933 2 sheets-sheet 1 F162' I FIG.

In V e n1, o r 5 Thomas Laval 5cl' lqq Od l5, 1935- I T. L.. BAILEY T AL 2,017,522

APPARATUS FOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEYING Uper and ofdriH pipe be ow pupa connczchon.

FIG. 5

inver-dors:

Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES "PATENT 'i OFFICE APPARATUS FOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEYING Application October 30, 1933, Serial No. 695,770

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the examination of subsurface strata and is more particularly concerned with obtaining samples or cores thereof. It has been a practice in the past to obtain samn ples of an unexposed stratum by the forcing of a rod or pipe equipped with a hollow shoe into the ground. Upon the removal of the shoe from the hole, the contents of the same were removed and examined for mineral deposits. No data as to the dip and strike of the formation from which the sample was obtained were ascertainable. When such information is required it has been necessary in the past to dig series of pits or trenches to expose a section of the strata. This procedure has resulted in considerable expense,

loss of time and inconvenience, especially where it has been necessary to ascertain the dip and strike of strata underlying wet quicksands, for in such cases it becomes necessary to heavily timber the trenches and operate pumps continuously.

According to this invention, details of the subsurface formation may be obtained 4without the above disadvantages.

Essentially this invention involves the taking of oriented punch cores and ascertaining from the punch cores the dip and strike as well as other characteristics of the subsurface strata under survey.

A further feature. of this invention resides in the particular construction of core barrels by which the above punch cores may be taken. By the term punch core we mean a core obtained by the forcing downward of a core barrel into the strata without turning of the core barrel. The manner in which this result is obtained and the particular apparatus suitable therefor will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, throughout which reference is made to the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation of core taking device, I

Figure 2 is a part sectional elevation of an alternate form of core taking device,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of drive pipe assembly,

Figure 4 is a plan thereof, and

Figure 5. is a diagrammatic view showing method of orientation.

Referring to Figure 1, this core barrel assembly for use in punch core taking comprises an outer core barrel (I) having a sharpened lower end (2). A small wedge or proof marker (3) protrudes from the inner surface of the outer core barrel (I) near its lower end. The object of this proof marker will later appear. The upper end (4) of the outer core barrel is screw threaded on its inner surface and is attached by means thereof to a core barrel collar (5). marked on its outer surface an arrow (6) parallel to its longitudinal axis. Attached to the lower end of collar (5) and partly inserted therein is a solid plug (1). This plug (l) is attached to co1- lar (5) by Ameans of a pin (8). An inner core barrel (9) divided longitudinally into two separable sections is attached to the protruding portion of the plug (l) by means of a removable pin (I0). The holes for the pin (I0) in the inner core barrel (9) and in the plug (l) are drilled 15 slightly oi center to assure that the core barrel is always assembled in the same way.

In assembled vposition one of the longitudinal edges of one of the sections of the inner core barrel is directly in line under the arrow (-6) on the 20 collar (5) as will be seen from the drawings.

An alternate form of core barrel is shown in Figure 2 which comprises an outer core barrel (la) attached at its upper end by screw threading to a core barrel collar (5a) An inner longitudinally divided core barrel (9a) is attached directly to the inside of the core barrel collar (5a) by means cfa transverse removable pin (Illa). The holes for the pin are drilled olf center as in the core barrel shown in Figure 1. The lower 30 end of the inner barrel (9a) is sharpened to form a cutting edge (2a) which protrudes below the outer core barrel (la). An arrow (6a) is marked on the collar` (5a) directly over one of the longitudinal edges of one of the sections of the inner 35 core barrel. The taper ofthe inner barrel and of the outer barrel is on the outside and thev barrels are so arranged that the tapers form one continuous slope as will be seen. by referring to Figure 2. A proof marker (3a) is mounted on40 the inner surface of the inner co're barrel (9a).

Either ofthe core barrel assemblies illustrated in Figures l and`2 may be attached to the lower end of a string of drive pipe (I I) which may be screw threaded one section to the other or con- 45 nected by collars (I2) as. will be seen from Figures 3 and 4.- The upper end of the string .of drive pipe is attached to the center arms of a hollow T piece (I3). To one of the side arms of the T (I3) is attached a hollow tube or pointer (I4).

'Ihe method of operation is as follows: Having chosen a suitable site for the ltaking of an oriented core of the subsurface strata, a hole is driven vertically downward through the soil by means of a post hole auger or other suitable device. In some The core barrel collar has 5 moved by unscrewing the same.

areas in which quicksand or other loose shifting material is encountered, it is often necessary to case the hole with pipe. Any material accumulating inside this casing may be removed by a bailer. After having sunk the hole to the desired depth, sufiicient drive pipe is assembled on the surface of the ground to reach to the bottom of the hole and protrude a few feet above the surn face of the ground. The T -piece and pointer are then attached to one end of the drive pipe and the core barrel to the other.

The pointer arm isnext lined up with the arrow (6) on the core barrel collar (5) by sighting so that the pointer armwill be vertically over the arrow (6) when the drive pipe is in the hole.

After having tightened all the connections so that the pointer ann will not be thrown out of adjustment, the core barrel is carefully lowered into the hole. With the core barrel resting on the formation, the pointer arm is oriented so that the bearing of itslongitudinal axis is known. 'I'his may be effected by sighting through the bore of the pointer arm on a triangulation point distant from the hole. The manner in which this is done will be readily understood from Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings. The pointer arm. once oriented, is held in position while the core is out, which can be accomplished by applying a series of downward blows to the upper end of the string of drive pipes. by allowing the string of drive pipe to fall several feet in the hole, but such method is generally not to be preferred, as the whole string of drive pipe is likely to be thrown out of alignment unless special guides are provided to prevent such an event. By this downward force upon the core barrel, a section of the formation passes into the interior of the inner core4 barrel.

When the desired length of core is obtained, the core barrel and core are broken loose from the formation by prying upward. After being withdrawn from the hole, the outer core barrel is re- The inner barrel being attached independently to the drive pipe is not disturbed by this removal of the outer barrel. The inner barrel may next be removed by withdrawing the pin (I0) holding it to the core barrel collar (5), at the same time taking care that the observer keeps the split surface of the inner barrel that was directed towards the triangulation-point towards him. After removing one of the sections of the inner barrel from the core, a line should be marked along the edge of the remaining section of this core barrel. Several half arrows should also be marked along the line pointing towards the bottom of the core.

By means of the proof marker (3) a groove parallelto the marked line will, in all probability,

- have been'cut in the core. 'Ihis groove merely serves as a check line whereby it may be readily 'ascertained if twisting has occurred during the cutting operation, for in such case the groove will not be a continuous straight line. The bearing of The core may also be taken By means of the invention above described, it 5 is possible to eiect a more economical and speedy survey of a geological structure than heretofore.

We claim as our invention:

l. In a core'taking device, an outer barrel, a 10 cutter on the lower end of said barrel, a core barrel collar attached to the upper end of said outer core barrel and separable therefrom, an inner care barrel split into longitudinal sections, said sections being rigidlyattached to said core l5 barrel collar by a removable transverse pin.

2. In acore taking device, an outer core barrel,

a cutter on the lower end of said barrel, a core barrel collar attached to the upper end of said outer core barrel and separable therefrom, an 20 inner core barrel divided into two longitudinal sections, said sections being rigidly attached to said core barrel collar by a removable transverse pin.

3. In a core taking device, an outer core barrel, 25 a cutter on the lower end of said core barrel, a core barrel collar attached to the upper end of s aid outer core lbarrel and separable therefrom, a proof marker protruding from the inner surface of said outer core barrel, an inner core barrel 530;,

divided into two longitudinal sections, said sections being rigidly attached to said core barrel collar Iby' a removable transverse pin, and a marker on said core barrel collar in line with a longitudinal edge of one of said inner core barrel 35:1'

sections.

4. In a core taking device, a core barrel collar, an inner care barrel, divided into longitudinal sections, said sections being rigidly attached to said core barrel collar by a removable transverse 40.

pin, a cutter on the lower end of said inner core barreL'a proof marker protruding from the inner surface of said inner core barrel, and outer core barrel concentric with said inner core barrel, and

a marker on said core barrel collar in line with a 45 longitudinal edge of one of said inner core barre sections substantially as described.

5. In a core taking device, an outer barrel, a core barrel collar attached to the upper end of said outer barrel and separable therefrom, an 50 inner core barrel split into longitudinal sections, said sections being rigidly attached-to said core barrel collar by a removable transverse pin.

6. In a core taking device a core barrel collar,

an inner core barrel divided into longitudinal 553 surface of said inner core barrel, an outer core Ibarrel concentric with said inner core barrel. THOMAS LAVAL BAILEY.

WALTER SIGMUND WIEBUSCH. 

